Question for new RN's or those of us who have gotten a late start getting a hospital

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Hi, I am an RN, graduated May 08. I have worked skilled nursing and some assisted living. Over all it has not been the best experience, mostly my attitude and frustration with not working the jobs I wanted. I have had a few months off and valuable time to think about what I can do different and make nursing more enjoyable. This is something I have wanted to do for... it seems forever.

So...I am starting on a med/surg unit through an agency with a small community hospital in a large city. I really want to be successful. It has been three years since I have been in a hospital and that was as a student. I am so so excited but very nervous. My confidence level is in the basement. I am not getting any shadow shifts or on the unit training. I really don't know what to expect. All paper charting...thank God!! And i am starting on NOC shift, which I think is beneficial to get used to the unit and get my feet wet.

Any advice? What should I expect? Anyone with similar stories?

Thanks so much in advance for taking the time to read my thread and post a comment...:nurse:

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Hi nursepenelope!

i'm not sure i can be much help. i'm a new grad awaiting my 1st RN job. i guess my biggest suggestion is, if you don't know or feel comforable with something you haven't done in awhile... ASK another nurse to help you. I have seen it all the time when i did my preceptorship. my preceptor had to ask another nurse to either show her or assist in something she hadn't done in awhile. the other nurses were happy to help, they would rather see you ask then pretend you knew how to do it and make a mistake. also once i got report, i wrote down who was due for what med at what time (so i could time manage) and figured out a game plan of who needed to be assessed 1st and who needed what treatments or procedures and when. keep in mind it will NEVER go as planned, but it does help, so when things do get nuts you know what needs done and when. good luck! congrats on getting your 1st in hospital job! your going to do great! i promise you will be fustraited till you get the swing of things (says many people i have talked to that are making the adjustment from nursing school to floor nursing) but you get the swing down and be an awesome nurse!

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Specializes in Interventional Radiology.
hi, i am an rn, graduated may 08. i have worked skilled nursing and some assisted living. over all it has not been the best experience, mostly my attitude and frustration with not working the jobs i wanted. i have had a few months off and valuable time to think about what i can do different and make nursing more enjoyable. this is something i have wanted to do for... it seems forever.

so...i am starting on a med/surg unit through an agency with a small community hospital in a large city. i really want to be successful. it has been three years since i have been in a hospital and that was as a student. i am so so excited but very nervous. my confidence level is in the basement. i am not getting any shadow shifts or on the unit training. i really don't know what to expect. all paper charting...thank god!! and i am starting on noc shift, which i think is beneficial to get used to the unit and get my feet wet.

any advice? what should i expect? anyone with similar stories?

thanks so much in advance for taking the time to read my thread and post a comment...:nurse:

hi there!! bottom line is saftey...go back and review meds you may not have given in the ltc- that you will be giving in the hospital. know what your facilities expectations are and if you have questions- ask!! i don't work nights- but i know at my facility the night shift is very tight and will pitch in to help however they can!

be positive..you passed nclex- you can do it!!:yeah:

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You still need to know there policies and procedures, how and what they chart etc.

You should have some orientation. Try to negotiate for some time.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Nursing Education.

I don't mean to be negative, but I just wanted to give my input..... Walk, no, run, away from this agency. Any agency that would send you out unprepared is a very scary place to work for. You should definitely have an opportunity to shadow, at the very least, before working in a unit. You have no idea whether or not your skill set is up to par with what will be required of you. It just sounds like a very dangerous situation from the start.

Before I became an R.N, I took a job with an agency as a LPN, Many years ago, with only Dr's office experience. My only experience was that I had passed meds with my instructor for a total of 4 hours, 2 years prior to joining the agency. When i asked upon hire to the agency if i would be able to handle the assignment, I was told that the staff nurses would help me out. Nothing could be farther from the truth. They saw me coming ( can we say-nurses eat their young? It was a buffet time) and gave me the hardest hall in their very large facility. I shutter to think of the mistakes that I made.... With 30 patients there was no time to look up the answers to the multitude of questions that I had,( Ms jones takes pills crushed.... Now how else to get these big potassium pills in her if no one has ever told you~~~ I shudder now...) and there was no support from staff.

Bases on this experience, I would say proceed very cautiously. You very well may be dealing with some very sick people, and it is ( as I am still learning- 6 months so far in the CCU) an ART to know when someone is 'quickly circling the drain' there is just too much at stake.

Good luck, whatever you choose to do!

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